← 7 Jan Friday 8 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 9 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,530 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

Illness in Thimphu, violence in Bali and protests in Hong Kong drew the news. Bhutan's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 58 in 100 of its 243 stories, usually 45
RegionNorth America 36 in 100 of its stories, usually 33
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Bhutan

18 of its 21 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Thimphu accounted for 17 of Bhutan's 18 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Covid was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Bhutan over 30 days → its stories → Thimphu stories →
Conflict & violence

Indonesia

141 of its 243 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Bali accounted for 63 of Indonesia's 141 stories about harm, carried by 292 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories → Bali stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Iran

148 of its 256 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tehran accounted for 99 of Iran's 148 stories about harm, carried by 117 outlets. Plane crash was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hiv. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

331 of its 743 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

50 of its 77 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Baghdad accounted for 32 of Iraq's 50 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Romania

32 of its 81 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

17 of its 23 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cameroon

25 of its 56 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (26 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); plane crash in Iran (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Kashmir (11 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in India (140 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in France (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 28 the day before
31 in 10024 in 10010 Dec17 Dec24 Dec31 Dec8 Jan10 Dec: 24 in 10011 Dec: 25 in 10012 Dec: 27 in 10013 Dec: 27 in 10014 Dec: 26 in 10015 Dec: 25 in 10016 Dec: 25 in 10017 Dec: 25 in 10018 Dec: 25 in 10019 Dec: 28 in 10020 Dec: 28 in 10021 Dec: 27 in 10022 Dec: 27 in 10023 Dec: 27 in 10024 Dec: 27 in 10025 Dec: 28 in 10026 Dec: 30 in 10027 Dec: 31 in 10028 Dec: 29 in 10029 Dec: 29 in 10030 Dec: 29 in 10031 Dec: 29 in 1001 Jan: 28 in 1002 Jan: 29 in 1003 Jan: 30 in 1004 Jan: 27 in 1005 Jan: 27 in 1006 Jan: 27 in 1007 Jan: 28 in 1008 Jan: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 Jan. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 26,530 stories about harm among 92,993 counted on 8 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. 29 in every 100 of the day's 92,993 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 27. In Bhutan, 86% of the news was about people being harmed, where 32% is usual. Bhutan's news mentioned Covid about three times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 9 January 2020, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq65 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Ethiopia61 in 100 of its 148 stories · usually 61 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Indonesia58 in 100 of its 243 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violence Iran58 in 100 of its 256 stories · usually 46 · mostly health Syria51 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US2709 stories about protests or strikes, of its 3483 Boston US86 stories about protests or strikes, of its 284 Georgia US76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 147 New York US70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 270 Chicago US68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 198

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUS: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUganda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEswatini: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSudan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSlovakia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSenegal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRussia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRomania: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLatvia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIsrael: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGuatemala: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCzechia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCongo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sColombia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBhutan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBelize: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlbania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMaldives: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Pakistan about twice as fearful as the world's · 331 stories about harm ● Iraq about twice as angry as the world's · 50 stories about harm ● Cameroon few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 25 stories about harm ● Sri Lanka about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 74 stories about harm ● Türkiye about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 64 stories about harm ● Romania few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 32 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 13,975 stories · much less than usual (usually 61%) Rights & justice19% 5,135 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence13% 3,467 stories · much more than usual (usually 7%) Disasters & accidents7% 1,732 stories · less than usual (usually 9%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,009 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 439 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 360 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 232 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed8,817 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting arrests2,580 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured1,376 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,322 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting abductions147 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees105 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ethiopia and the US Stories reporting people displaced104 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations98 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill27 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout as usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 18 Oct – 24 Oct

The week in human impact

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.